Safe Speed Forums

The first part of my drive to work is on a B-road. Not too busy, undulating and with several bends. I always take a fairly relaxed approach (why stress to arrive at work 5 minutes earlier?). I guess my speed varies from about 30 to 50 mph, driving according to the hazards I see.
Over the weekend, the road has been littered with speed restriction signs. Variously 30 or 40 mph with no relation to the hazards. It is impossible to comply without either a) engaging first gear and staying in it or b) looking at the speedometer the whole time.
So what was a fairly pleasurable experience is now a nightmare.
I expect the speed cameras will go up next week.
One immediate consequence of the new regime is poorer fuel economy.
I guess my natural driving style is fairly fuel-efficient as I lift off the accelerator when I see a hazard, allowing speed to reduce with a minimum of braking. But the chop/change speed limits require much more braking and much more work in low gear.
So "Speed cameras damage the environment".
Repeat ad nauseum every time you hear someone say "Speed Kills"

Unfortunately, they have already tried to head that one off by claiming that slower speeds cut emissions...

you drive at 40mph in 1st gear??? Wow!

Only on residential roads with humps on, surely?

Those signs aren't cheap. They obviously use energy to produce, transport, install and maintain (ha!). And they do make the place look ugly. And as it is already illegal to drive faster than is safe they aren't really needed.

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Andrew.

I get 60+ in first on the bike....

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Speed camera policy Kills

XJ12C! 60 in first! 100 in second! (and we wont talk about what happens next )

Under full chat 1/2 gear change was a bit like the scene in Apollo 13 where they depicted S1/S2 separation.

There are plently of high performance cars out there that would leave the old Jag for dust, but somehow they are mostly rather too refined and dont Ooze the shear raw power that the old XJ12's did. (My Brother had an XJRS6.0 it was AWESOME untill the inevitable happened )

I do miss her!

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"The road to a police state is paved with public safety legislation"

Really? I thought that the most efficient speed was generally around 55-60mph?

Obviously it varies from car to car. My Legacy seems to be most efficient at 80, presumably because that's top gear just before the changeover point for the secondary turbo, meaning the primary is running at the limits of it's effectiveness.

Still only 30mpg though

My 2.2 Omega seems best around 75. 36-38 mpg. Not that I would drive around the town centre at that speed. My 1.6 Escort seems to do best at about 55-60, gets 52mpg compared with about 38mpg at most other speeds above and below.